Microsoft To Unveil New Windows Phone 7 Smartphones

Microsoft will be rolling out a range of Windows Phone 7 smartphones at an 11 October event to be held in New York.

Citing people familiar with Microsoft's launch plans, the Wall Street Journal has reported that Microsoft will unveil the new line-up at an event in New York that will be beamed all over the world via satellite.

The launch, along with the smartphones running on Windows Phone 7 OS, are crucial for Microsoft as it faces intense competition in the market from Apple's highly popular iPhone and Google's army of Android devices.

WSJ reported that AT&T, which will be the exclusive Windows Phone 7 partner wireless carrier in the US, will launch the smartphones during the week beginning 8 November. Initially, AT&T plans to offer three Windows Phone 7-based smartphones made by Samsung, HTC and LG.

The Windows Phone 7 range will be important for AT&T as well, as rumours suggest that the company will soon cease to be the exclusive provider of the iPhone in the US.